Who's going to watch you die?
by TessaJareau-Prentiss
Summary: A serial killer in JJ's home town triggers an addiction that could easily kill her. What happens when Emily discovers the addiction? Or what about when the serial killer kidnaps our lovely liaison.? Will JJ and Emily ever admit their feelings?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Criminal Minds. If I did things would be different.

**Rating: **M for self-harm, mentions of attempted suicide, and sexual situations later on.

**Summary: **A serial killer in JJ's home town triggers an addiction that could easily kill her. What happens when Emily discovers the addiction? Will she be able to help? Will JJ and Emily admit their feelings for each other?

**A/N: **I am well aware JJ grew up in East Alleghany in Pennsylvania but I have never been there and I like to actually know the setting of the town I am writing my story in. So, this will take place somewhere I actually know. Also, no Henry or Will in this story.

**A/N 2:** Self harm and suicide are very serious matters, I myself am a recovering self-harmer. Some parts of this story may be triggering, you have been warned.

**National Veterans Suicide Prevention Lifeline** at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

**S.A.F.E**. at 1-800-DONTCUT (366-8288)

**A/N 3:** This is just a quick short prologue of the story. The next chapter will be when they are getting the case. Reviews are love. :)

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

It was never supposed to happen like this. You were supposed to be better, you were supposed to have recovered. That's what you tell yourself as you lay on the hotel bed, curled up on your right side with your right arm hanging off the bed. Small drops of blood are falling from a wound you never bothered to cover. A wound you yourself created. Why? Why? You scream in your head, begging yourself to create a damn good answer. Why again? Why somewhere they could all see? Why so deep? A frown and you correct yourself harshly; this is no where near as deep as some. The one on your thigh where you tried to kill yourself all those years ago now that is deep. This is nothing, nothing you can't handle.

Get a hold of yourself! You've been screaming in your own head during this entire case. You have to get up, you have to clean the blood from the floor, you have to shower. Dead eyes catch the time on the clock as you lift yourself slowly from the bed. 0100. The team will need you by 0730. That's enough time to clean the blood from the hotel room floor and yourself of course. You could even run to the Wal-Mart just out of town and buy a long sleeve shirt and a bandage for the wound. Yes, Wal-Mart. It's the only store around open so late... Er... Early? You hate yourself right now for not bringing any long sleeve shirts with you, you hate this town for being so humid and horrible in the summer, and you hate the unsub for choosing this small town to murder in.

Why this town? Hamburg, New Jersey was your home town. Back before everything went down hill. This town couldn't handle a serial killer, the pain that came with it.. Or maybe they could. Maybe they would band together and help each other make it through. You remember at least fifteen people in poor Ms. Foley's house when you went to visit her. They were all mourning the death of Elizabeth her daughter, a girl you practically grew up with. Hotch had suggested you take this case off, but you just couldn't do that. These people would trust the team more with you there. Regardless of your emotional attachment, you had to be there. You can remember hanging out with Elizabeth, Lizzie as she preferred, Carlie, and your cousin Annalie when you were young. You remember your little cousin Sibyla, Sib as everyone refers to her, playing with Lizzie's younger sister Hayley and Kaitlyn's younger siblings Jeremy, Matthew, and Lilach. They were... are... triplets, just a year older than Sib. You remember barbeques and camp outs and catching firefly's in Old Mrs. Block's yard at night. You remember those people were your family. You miss those days, you can't believe Lizzie is gone.

You are more emotionally invested in this than you will admit. Lizzie was your first love. Tall, dark, and gorgeous. Black hair and stunning green eyes with the perfect soft skin. She was the first person to ever break your heart and put it back together again. You knew everything about her, she meant everything to you. She knew less about you though, by then things had already gotten bad for you. You can remember her begging you to stop, you can remember her by your bedside the night you put yourself in the hospital.

You remember too much.

A voice pulls you out of your thoughts and you jump, hiding your arm behind your back and scanning the floor. The blood is still there, you can still feel your wrist dripping blood, now absorbing into the back of your white tank top. Finally your eyes meet the person speaking and you cam feel the fear, the panic, shutting you down. When she asks what will you say? When she begs for an answer how will you tell her? When she tries to help will you pull away or will you let her help? You see her mouth moving, her face shows worry. But what is she saying? You don't know, you can't tell. Why didn't you learn to read lips better? Tune into her! You yell at yourself, you know she's growing more concerned with every question you don't answer.

Wait, how did she get in here? You can't remember opening the door for her, you don't remember calling her or making any sound that would make her think she needed to check on you. Why is she here? Did you scream, did you make too much noise? You could ask her, you just can't seem to get the words out. You still can't hear what she's saying, maybe she's already explained why she's here. What must it look like from her perspective? What does it look like for you to be standing here totally clueless of what she's talking about. God you must look so stupid. Stop staring at her damnit! Say something! Like what? She's going to think you're an idiot. You just know she will.

"Why?" Finally, you finally hear her say something.

But... Why? Why what? Why did you hurt yourself? Why didn't you stop the bleeding? Why? Be more specific! You want to scream at her, push her away and beg her for help all at the same time. You want to respond somehow. How? How? You can't think of a response. Maybe you did respond because you see her face twist in fear, pain. You yelled at her. Why would you yell at her? How could you yell at someone you love? Someone you are in love with? Suddenly you are in her arms and she's rubbing your back. Her hand clasps around your wrist and you hear yourself whimper. It hurts, you know that much. She has your wrist in her hand and she's trying to stop the bleeding. It hurts. You can tell she is relieved the bleeding isn't as bad as it could be. Its like when you leave the sink on just a bit and water drips slowly from the faucet. Yeah... Compare your wrist to a sink that's wonderful. If she could hear you comparing your wound to a faucet she'd smile, maybe just a little.

You love her smile, you especially love her smile on the rare occassions that it reaches her chocolatey brown eyes. Right now though, the only thing in her eyes is concern. Pity. You hate it. You don't want her to pity you, you've had enough of that over the years.

How will you explain this to her? She'll want an explanation. She'll be another Lizzie. She'll hate you. You have to find a way to explain. You have to find a way to make her understand. You just have to...

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><p><strong>AN: **I should probably tell you not all the chapters will be written in the tense this one was written. I simply wrote the prologue in this tense because it's well... the prologue.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own Criminal Minds. Sadly

**Rating: **Still M

**A/N: **Thank you for those who commented and told me to continue. You guys keep me going.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

The day had started out like every other. It'd been a nice sunny morning, she had met Garcia for breakfast and the two had gossiped like long lost friends even though that'd just seen each other the day before. They'd stopped at Starbucks and picked up some _real_ coffee for the team, who had all been extremely thankful they didn't have to drink the bull pen coffee. They'd talked and laughed and set off a few film canister rockets which somehow managed to hit Emily in the head _again. _It was the second time the same thing had happened and it was still funny as hell, to JJ, Reid, and Garcia anyway. Hotch and Rossi hadn't found it so funny on the other hand. They had all scurried off in their own separate directions when Hotch and Rossi walked in. Thats when the morning, the day, her life really, changed forever. The moment the blonde haired blue eyed media liaison walked into her office to find a file from her home town front and center on her desk she knew things were never going to be the same. She scanned the file and without a second thought she walked into the bull pen and told the team she needed them in the conference room. A serial killer in her home town? How was that even possible?

"What's going on JJ?" The voice of the beautiful brunette hit her ears as she frantically brought up the case information on the screen.

"I haven't seen you looking this spooked since… well ever actually" Morgan stated as he took his seat at the table.

"Hamburg, New Jersey… In the last month seven women between the ages of 23 and 33 have been found dead in the abandoned gingerbread castle…"

"If the place is abandoned, who found the bodies?" A frown crossed JJ's face as Rossi interrupted her.

"I was getting there Agent Rossi. The first body was found by two teenagers Michael Bulton and Kyle Cambell while they were exploring. The police did a sweep of the building and found three other bodies the same day, two days later they found another body and two weeks later they found two more bodies." She said, looking from the team to the screen. "Each woman had been tortured pre-mortem and had their left leg removed post-mortem. Each woman also had a brand between her shoulder blades that the ME discovered had been done pre-mortem as well." She paused and brought up pictures of the brands.

"Is that… The Jersey Devil?" Emily asked, studying the images.

"Yes, the Jersey Devil is a legendary creature, or cryptid, that is said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of South Jersey. According to legend, Commodore Stephen Decatur, while visiting the Hanover Mill Works to inspect his cannonballs being forged, sighted a flying creature flapping its wings and fired a cannonball directly at it but the cannon had no effect. Apparently Joseph Bonaparte, eldest brother of Emperor Napoleon, also witnessed the Jersey Devil while hunting on his Bordentown, New Jersey estate around 1820. Throughout the 19th century, the Jersey Devil was blamed for…" Reid rambled on about the legend of the Jersey Devil until a glare from JJ and Hotch quieted him. "Sorry…" He mumbled, fumbling with the file infront of him.

"When the police went back through their records they found that there are mentions of bodies with the same signature dating back to the 1994 after the Gingerbread Castle was closed permantely due to a fire. The first victim was Karren Giles, 25, found July 18th, 1994 and the most recent victims are Emily Cosley, 23, Marge Herring, 30, Jennie Author, 27, Kylie Ameth, 24, Diane Baker, 31, Marsha Holderman, 26, and Elizabeth Foley, 33…" She pulled up pictures of each woman as she went through their names. When the picture of Elizabeth came up she found it hard to look at the screen. She knew each one of these women, she recognized them all from her school, but Elizabeth's name coming up in that list hit her the hardest.

There must have been tears in her eyes because Hotch gave her that classic We'll-talk-about-this look. "Wheels up in 30 minutes." He stated before taking his file and walking out of the room. The team seperated, each going to retrieve their go bags, and JJ quickly followed Hotch.

"I'm not biased because I grew up there. This town can't handle a serial killer, they've never had to. The town has all of eleven police officers, though six out of eleven of them have other jobs because they just don't work that much, they had to borrow another towns ME, and they thought they could handle it. They aren't the kind to call the FBI for help." She stated before he could even suggest that she was being biased.

"I wasn't going to say that. I was however going to suggest you sit out for this one." He told her, turning to her.

"What? No. No! These people know me, the police know me. If anything you will have better luck working with them if I am there! I'm not staying Hotch. That is not an option." She wanted to scream at him. How could he even suggest she stay?

"JJ how many of those names did you know? All of them?" She looked away and sighed. He had a point. She'd even known that first victim Karren Giles, though she'd been young when she'd met the woman, she'd still known her. Mrs. Giles and her husband had sat next to the Jareau family at church.

"That doesn't matter Hotch… in a town like Hamburg you know everyone, there isn't a single person you don't know even if they are new. I have to be there. I'll hop on a commercial flight if I have to. I'm going." She wasn't debating this. She wasn't going to stay at the BAU while a serial killer was loose in her home town.

"Fine, but this man is targeting people around your age, in your home town and if I think there is any risk at all to you I will have someone accompany you everywhere you go. Do you understand?" He wasn't asking, he was telling. Nodding her head JJ hurried off to her office to grab her go bag.

"_JJ! Hurry we're gonnab be late for church! You gotsta hurry!" Lizzie giggled as she ran up the stairs of her neighbors house to find a little blonde Jennifer Jareau. _

"_I is comin' Lizzie hold on! I can't get my dress zippered!" the small blonde cried as she fought with the zipper in the back of her dress. She was five, her best friend Elizabeth was eight. They had a three year age difference and yet they were insperable. JJ, Lizzie, Carlie, and Annalie were attached at the hips at all times, no questions asked. _

"_Well lemme help ya' then." Lizzie ordered as she stepped behind the smaller blonde girl and pushed her long hair aside before easily zipping up the dress. "There now le's go!" She grabbed Lizzie's hand and pulled her down the stairs and out the front door toward JJ's mother's car. The four girls would sit through prayer if their parents were lucky but after that they'd run out of the Sanctuary and run around causing mischief. _

_As soon as they pulled into the parking lot of Crossroads Assembly of God Lizzie and JJ bolted from the car and ran to find Carlie and Annalie. JJ's mother was yelling for them not to dirty their church dresses and they ran off hand in hand, giggling. The moment JJ spotted Carlie's flame red hair and Annalie's dirty blonde hair the youngest girl shrieked their names at the top of her lungs. Carlie was seven while JJ's cousin Annalie was six. The girls all squealed as they ran to hug each other, acting like they hadn't seen each other in years when in fact they'd spoken just the night before. The other members of the church never even bothered to shush the girl's anymore, it was something everyone was accustomed too. Once they were inside the Sancutary the girls knew to be quiet so no one cared if they were loud in the hall way. The four girls skipped down the hall giggling, totally lost in their own world._

"_Let's play hide and seek!" The fire haired six year old suggested and they all nodded. Each girl's fingers immediately hit their noses as a sign of "not it" and since Annalie was the slowest, she was, of course, "it". As Annalie took her spot against the wall and began counting, the three other girls ran off, giggling all the while. JJ ran to the Teen's Room, a large room in the church where the teenagers had their youth group, and climbed straight into the "tree house" that had been built for the teens to hang out in during their down time. Lizzie ran into the nursery, and hid in the large toy chest while Carlie ran to the coat closet and hid behind the pastors floor length coat. No one heard Annalie say "Ready or Not, here I come" but when they heard Carlie shriek, signalling she was the first to be found, they knew they had to stay quiet. JJ was the second to be found and the three girls teamed together to find Lizzie hiding in the nursery. _

"_Ok girls, it's time for prayer" They heard Mrs. Foley state as she walked into the nursery to find them all giggling on the floor. The girls jumped up and bolted toward the Sanctuary, telling each other to "Shh", "Shut up" and "Be quiet!" before they walked into the room._

"JJ? JJ!" The sound of Emily's voice snapped JJ from her memory and she looked at the woman infront of her.

"Oh… Uh sorry… What can I do for you?" She asked as calmly as she could. She wanted to break down and cry from the memory of her best friend. She couldn't believe Elizabeth was a victim of this serial killer. What had the poor woman suffered? To be tortured and branded? God, she couldn't even imagine.

"We have to get to the jet, Hotch said wheels up in 5." Emily told her. "Are you ok?" The brunette asked as she placed a comforting hand on JJ's arm.

"Y-yeah… I'll be fine. Let's go." JJ grabbed her go bag and walked with Emily to the jet quickly. They were the last two to board and they each took their seats. JJ in the back alone and Emily with Morgan, Reid, and Rossi. Hotch was, of course, in the front of the plane going over the file again. As soon as the plane took off they all met in the center of the plane to talk more about the files. They spoke with Garcia about getting the history of the victims and told her to look for anyone who could have connected to them.

The next thing JJ remembered was being woken up because the plane had landed in Essex County Airport in Caldwell, NJ. They'd take FBI issue SUVs the 25 miles it took to get to Hamburg. Emily, JJ, and Reid took one SUV while Hotch, Rossi, and Morgan went in their own. The entire ride consisted of JJ anxiously fidgetting in the passanger seat, easily giving Emily directions on how to get to her home town. When they finally arrived an hour later at the Police Department, JJ was half tempted to walk the thirteen minutes it would take to get her to the street she had grown up on just to see how her old friends were doing. Once they all got settled in the only extra conference room the Police Department had, Hotch sent Rossi and Morgan to go check out the dump site along with a few other officers while he sent Emily and JJ to go speak to the latest victims families.

As JJ easily navigated Emily the quick four minute drive it took to get to the home of Mrs. Foley, she knew nothing good could come from her trip home. Not this time…

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><p><strong>AN: **And I will leave you with that. I know it's not crazy long but I never write crazy long chapters. Anywho, review and tell me what you think. Have a lovely day.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Nothing has changed, I still do not own Criminal Minds.

**A/N: **there is a self harm scene later in the chapter so… yeah there is your warning.

**A/N 2: **Um... I dunno. I felt like I should say something else but I dunno what to say. So... yeah bye!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Stepping out of the FBI issue SUV, JJ paused for a moment to take in her surroundings. Mrs. Foley's small, blue, two story home looked the same as it always did and directly across the street was her own, much larger, two story home. To the right of Mrs. Foley's home sat the large yellow home, surrounded by large bushes, of Mr. and Mrs. Hart, otherwise known as the mother and father of one of her best friends Carlie. To the left of Mrs. Foley's home sat another small home, this one however was green, and it was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Courtrite, her aunt and uncle. JJ slowly turned to look at the small blue home of Mrs. Foley, her stunning blue eyes scanning the house as though it were a work of art. The front lawn was made up of dark green, healthy looking grass and there was an short, old, broken up, stone walk way that lead to the porch. On the porch sat an old porch swing that looked as though it may fall at any moment, though JJ herself knew better. Across the porch from the swing sat three metal chairs with flower patterned cousins. The windows of the small home were framed by old white shutters that JJ knew hadn't ever closed. Along the porch there were flower pots, each symbolizing something different, something Mrs. Foley had never explained to JJ or any of the other children. The same flower pots had sat there for as long as JJ could remember and every year Mrs. Foley re-planted the same flowers. As her eyes slowly drifted back to the walk way, JJ could remember all the time she and her friends had run up it and straight into the house.

_A six year old JJ ran barefoot from her own driveway straight across the street and up the brick walk way to her best friend's home. "Lizzie! Lizzie! I gotsta tell you something!" She screamed as she ran into the home without even knocking. The sound of footsteps bolting down the staircase signaled that Lizzie was on her way and the next thing the small blonde girl knew, she was tackled in a hug. "Lizzie!" She cried happily, squeezing the other girl like she was holding on for dear life. The nine year old Lizzie giggled as she pulled away from her friend, twirling the younger girls pigtail playfully. _

"_What do ya' gotta tell me JJ?" The black haired, cat eyed, girl asked curiously. _

"_Mommy and Daddy are goin' out of town on a business trip and they told me to tell you to ask Mama Foley if I could stay here until they comes back. We can have a sleep over!" The young blonde squealed happily. Without even a second thought Lizzie ran out of the living room, through the short hall way to her kitchen where her mother was, JJ in tow._

"_Mama!" She cried, followed by JJ calling "Mama Foley!" For added effect._

"Oh Jennie dear, it's so good to see you." Mrs. Foley said as she wrapped her arms around JJ in a tight hug. JJ didn't remember walking into the house, or into the kitchen for that matter, but she figured she must have been following the actions of her memory. "I'm so sorry I didn't call and tell you the news darlin', everythin's been so hectic 'round here." The elderly woman added as she ushered JJ and Emily into the living room. JJ wasn't surprised to see the woman so welcoming despite the recent tragedy, and she certainly wasn't surprised to see so many people in the house consoling the women. "Are you going to introduce me to your friend, Jennie darling?" the woman asked as she pulled JJ to sit on the large couch next to her.

"Yes of course, Ma- Mrs. Foley this is my colleague and friend Special Agent Emily Prentiss. Agent Prentiss is a profiler for the FBI's Behavioral Analyses Unit." JJ said professionally, despite the fact that Emily had, just moments ago, heard her call the woman Mama Foley. It had been something JJ had called her since she was young. The woman had always been like a second mother to her. She glanced at Emily and gave her a weak smile before returning her attention to the stout, elderly woman before her. \

Mrs. Kathleen Foley was a woman of sixty-two, who for as long as JJ could remember had been stout and slightly over weight. The woman could hold her own though, regardless of how old she was and she was always the person in the town that people had gone two when they needed help, advice, or wanted to gossip. She was a religious woman who never missed a day of church unless one of her babies was sick. She believed everything happened for a reason and that regardless of what a person did in their life they could find redemption in God and in Heaven. She accepted everyone regardless of race, religion, or sexuality. Mrs. Foley was a firm believer in consequences and reaping what you sew but she also believed that she was not around to judge anyone. She always said that she would not judge a soul because in the end everyone would be judged when they met their maker in heaven. She preached her believes to those who wanted to listen and listened to the beliefs of those who were willing to share. JJ couldn't think of a single person she'd met in her life who had been better than Mrs. Foley.

"Mrs. Foley, we'd like to ask you some questions about your daughter Elizabeth and anything that may have happened before she was kidnapped." Emily stated gently as she took a seat on the couch across from the one JJ sat on with Mrs. Foley.

"What do ya' need to ask 'bout my baby that little Jennie here don't already know?" Came a booming voice from the staircase. Turning toward the voice JJ immediately recognized the strong, burly, man to be Mr. Howard Foley. JJ knew much less about the eighty-three year old man than she knew about his wife. He'd been a hard working man who fought in World War II and when he came home he worked his ass off to provide for his family. JJ had never seen much of him but she'd know him anywhere. "Jennie knows everything there is to know 'bout my Lizzie, seein' as they spent all their time together." The man added as he took a seat next to his wife.

"Did ya' know that Jennie and Lizzie dated for two years. Two years! The two were inseparable, or at least they were until Jennie here…"

"Mrs. Foley we need to know what Lizzie was doing the night she was kidnapped." JJ quickly cut the woman off. She didn't need Emily knowing every aspect of her childhood, especially not the details Mrs. Foley was about to share.

Mrs. Foley quickly eyed JJ before nodding and proceeding to tell Emily and JJ about everything, and I mean everything, that her daughter had been doing the few days before, and the day of, her kidnapping.

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><p>After meeting with the families of the six other victims and bringing Emily back to the police station so she could inform the team of what they had learned from the families, JJ made a quick drive to her parent's house. She pulled into the driveway and stepped out of the SUV before quickly walking up her parent's walk way and into their house. She knew her parents were still at the Foley's home and she assumed they wouldn't be back for quite a while, though she could smell the barbecue she knew they were cooking in the Foley's backyard. Quickly running up the staircase directly in front of the door JJ made her way upstairs and into her old bedroom, the old room she shared with her sister. A smile appeared on her face when she found the room exactly the way it had always been. There were still bunk beds simply because her parents never had the heart to take them down after Jessica's suicide. The walls were still a light lavender color and pictures of her favorite old bands and her friends still framed the walls. It was no surprise to JJ to find the room exactly as it had been left, her parents had never been the kind to change things. Climbing onto the top bunk that she had claimed after her sister's death, JJ pulled an old photograph from under the pillow. It was a picture of herself, Lizzie, Carlie, and Annalie. The girls were 15, 16, 17, and 18 and it was the day of Lizzie's 18th birthday that the image was taken. Despite how happy JJ herself looked in the picture, she knew the truth behind the smile.<p>

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><p>As the team sat back at the police station creating a profile, Emily couldn't shake Mrs. Foley's voice from her head. "<em>Did ya' know that Jennie and Lizzie dated for two years. Two years! The two were inseparable, or at least they were until Jennie here…"<em> The elderly woman's voice just kept repeating in her head. "Hotch, I think I know what's triggering the kills." She stated as she paced the floor of the small conference room. "All the women that have been killed over the years were lesbians. All of them. The first victim Karren Giles had a female lover that her husband didn't know about and the recent victims families all mentioned that their girlfriends were away." She said, looking at the team. She couldn't tell that that Mrs. Foley had mentioned that JJ had been one of Lizzie's girlfriends, the team didn't need to know that.

"Could it have been the husband of Karren Giles? Maybe he found out about his wife's lover and it cover up her murder he killed more woman? It's possible it became a mission for him to kill lesbians.." Reid suggested.

"That'd be possible if he hadn't died last year." Rossi responded, sighing and shaking his head.

"Did any of them mention anything about noticing the women being watched?" Hotch asked. The team had already deduced that the killer would have had to watch the women long enough to know when they would be alone.

"Well… Mrs. Foley told me that she noticed a strange, older, looking man watching Elizabeth. She said he seemed to be at a lot of the place they were and he always had a nasty look on his face." She told him. She was glad JJ wasn't there, she'd only be upset that Mrs. Foley had told Emily this information in confidence that she wouldn't tell JJ. She pulled the picture Mrs. Foley had given her out of her pocket and stuck it on the board. "Mrs. Foley didn't have a name, she didn't recognize them which she said was odd because she knows everybody here."

_As JJ walked away from the group to go speak to her parents, Mrs. Foley motioned Emily over to one of the corners of the living room. "Now, you listen to me and you listen good. What I'm 'bout to tell ya' can't touch Jennie's ears. If I found out ya' told her I'm not gonna be happy." The elderly woman threatened. _

"_Of course ma'am." Emily had replied, nodding her head._

"_I seen this man probably some where in his late forties – early fifties watchin' my Lizzie when we been out and about. He had a real nasty look on his face every time he seen her, 'specially when she was with her girlfriend." She said, pulling a picture from her purse and handing it to Emily. "That's the man. I got this while we was at the super market." She pointed at the picture and nodded. "I noticed him watchin' young Kylie too. The poor girl…" she added with a shake of her head. "Now, I don't got a name for ya'. I don't recognize him and I know everyone in this little town. I'm sorry 'bout that."_

"_Thank you ma'am, I'll inform my team about this." Emily told the woman as she put the picture in her pocket._

"_You do that, but don't ya' let Jennie know. I'm trustin' ya' to keep an eye on young Jennie. I know she looks all tough and she carries a gun but there things 'bout that girl ya' don't know. I'm trustin' ya' to make sure she don't end up with the same fate as me Lizzie. I know this man is targetin' lesbians, you ask young Kylie's mother, she'll tell ya. Jennie ain't gonna tell ya' that she's a lesbian, she don't like to tell people but you gotta keep an eye on her." The woman told her, her voice more serious than Emily had heard it all day._

"_I will Ma'am. I don't plan on letting any harm come to JJ." She replied, watching JJ as she spoke with old friends._

"_Good, and make sure ya' check on her at night. Don't trust that she's gonna be fine alone." Mrs. Foley warned before stepping away from Emily as JJ walked back over._

"Emily, are you alright?" she heard Morgan ask as he waved his hand in front of her face.

"Yeah I'm fine, just thinking about something Mrs. Foley told me." She replied, swatting his hand away.

"Which was?" Of course he was going to prod, he was Morgan after all.

"She just…" Emily shook her head and pulled Morgan away from the team as they spoke amongst themselves. "She said that we need to keep an eye on JJ… She told me to keep an eye on her and check on her at night because I shouldn't trust her to be fine alone." Emily said. It sounded cryptic, but Emily didn't even know what Mrs. Foley had meant by that.

"Why would we need to keep an eye on Jayje? If he'd targeting lesbians than… oh… well that explains a lot." He replied. "But why check on her at night? JJ has been fine alone before."

"I don't know… It's just what I was told." Emily told him, sighing.

"Then I guess you'll be doing periodic check ups then." Morgan stated with a shrug.

"Periodic check ups on who?" they heard JJ asked from behind them.

"On uh… one of our suspects… He's apparently a flight risk." Emily lied quickly and easily.

JJ gave her a quick once over before turning to the board. "You think he's targeting lesbians?" She asked with a frown.

Hotch glanced at her and nodded slowly. "Emily said the families told you two that they were all lesbians."

"No… I said he told me that. JJ wasn't around when they said it.." Emily corrected him.

The frown stayed on JJ's face as she scanned the board. "I've seen him before." She said as she pointed at the picture Mrs. Foley had given Emily. "I don't know who he is but I saw him… Holy shit Emily he was at all of the houses we went to. Not in them but he was sitting in a car outside of the houses." She said, looking at the brunette profiler with wide eyes.

"Holy shit he was… How did I not notice that?" Emily mentally berated herself for not noticing the same person at the houses.

Morgan called Garcia while Emily was trying to figure out the license plate number and berating herself. "Baby girl, I need you to see if you can do a facial recognition of a picture I'm about to e-mail you." He told her as he scanned the picture onto his laptop and sent it to Garcia.

"Alright I got it. When I know something you'll know something… Oh, hey Derek do me a favor." The tech genius said as she scanned the picture.

"Anything for you baby girl."

"Keep an eye on our girls, especially our liaison, for me ok?" She asked.

"I was already doing so but I'll double my efforts for you Garcia." He replied, watching as Emily and JJ spoke with the team about the man they saw.

"Thanks sugar, I'll talk to ya' soon." And with that the line went dead.

* * *

><p>As the team reached the hotel they were staying at just outside of town, they each got their room keys and went their separate ways with their bags. Emily was happier than she should have been that she and JJ had connecting rooms because it meant she could keep and eye on JJ more easily. Emily hadn't been ready to admit it up until a few weeks about, but she had very strong feelings for the blonde media liaison and she was very worried about her best friend's safety. Knowing that JJ was a lesbian brought her hopes that one day they could be together up, but she still feared what could happen to their friendship if a relationship didn't work out. Emily didn't really think she could live without JJ in her life, even if it were just as friends.<p>

JJ quickly went to her own room and locked the door. As she headed toward the bathroom she stripped and grabbed a shaving razor from her bag. Shutting and locking the bathroom door, JJ dropped the back of disposable razors onto the floor next to the tub before turning the hot water on. JJ allowed herself to sink into the hot water before grabbing the pack of razors and pulling one out of it. She expertly broke one of the blades out of it. _Please don't do it JJ! Don't do it! _She could hear Lizzie's voice begging her not to hurt herself like she had so many years ago. Her fingers gently traced the deep cut on her right thigh as memories flooded her brain.

_A seventeen year old Jennifer Jareau sit curled up in her bath tub as tears, mascara, and eye liner poured down her cheeks. A twenty year old Lizzie sat outside the bathroom door, her voice just barely reaching JJ's ears as she begged her young friend not to hurt herself. "It's not fair to take another child away from your parent's JJ! It's not fair to take my best friend away." She cried, her own cheeks streaked with tears and make up. JJ didn't care. She didn't care about her parents or her best friends or anyone else. She was tired of suffering, tired of being depressed and not being able to do anything about it. "Please don't do it JJ! Don't do it!" She added, banging on the door,_

"_I'm sorry Lizzie. I have no choice." She mumbled as tears streaked down her face._

"_Yes you do JJ! We can get you help. You can't leave us. You can't leave me JJ!" The black haired girl screamed. Damnit, why did this have to be a day when JJ's parents weren't around. "Come on JJ, just let me in! Please!"_

"_No! Just go away Elizabeth! I have to do this!" She cried as she pressed her razor as deeply into her thigh as she could. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as she dragged the blade down her thigh and blood rushed out. She couldn't remember much after that except for the sound of Lizzie breaking through the door._

The blade of her razor found its way into the blonde's wrist as she cried, finally allowing herself to feel something. She didn't know what she was going to do without Lizzie in her life. Lizzie had been with her through everything, she knew everything. How could someone just cold heartedly torture and kill her best friend and so many other women? She just didn't understand how this was possible. Why would someone kill them? They'd never done anything wrong. Sexuality wasn't something to kill over. Cases like this always hit close to home for her, because of her own sexuality, but this one hit way too close. Close enough to kick start an addiction she had quit years ago. JJ's mind kept going back to the images of her best friend laying lifeless on the floor, signs of torture clear all over her. She kept seeing the burned skin that made up the brand. Seeing her best friend, her first love, like that made her sick. Lizzie had never done anything to deserve to be tortured like that, if anyone should have been it should have been JJ, or at least she thought so.

When the water started to cool off JJ pulled herself out of the tub and dried off quickly before dressing herself in a pair of shorts and a white camisole. Damn Jersey heat in the summer. She knew they'd be in Jersey and she never bothered to even pack a long sleeve shirt. She'd have to grab one sometime before anyone else woke up. She shouldn't have cut herself where people would see but it was too late to change that. As she curled up on the hotel bed, the blonde cried as blood dripped from her wrist onto the carpet.

* * *

><p>Emily jolted awake to the sound of her alarm signaling that she needed to check on JJ. Mrs. Foley's words replayed in her head as she quickly made her way out of her hotel bed, through the door that joined her and JJ's rooms, and into the sitting area in her best friend's hotel room. "JJ?" she called out softly. When she noticed the blood drops on the floor leading from the bathroom to the bedroom, she felt her heart stop for a moment, until she saw JJ walk out of the bedroom, clutching her bleeding wrist and looking at the floor with a classic Jennifer Jareau look of determination. "JJ?" she said again, realizing her friend was too lost in her own world to even realize she was there. "JJ what happened?" she stepped closer to her friend. "Why did you do this?" When JJ's stunning blue eyes caught her own, Emily realized she'd finally noticed her. The blonde quickly hid her wrist behind her back but realized it was too late, Emily had already seen it. Gently taking the younger woman into her arms, Emily soothingly rubbed her back. "We have to get you and this room cleaned up Jayje." She whispered before taking hold of JJ's wrist and leading her into the bathroom. She quickly cleaned up JJ's wound before she set about cleaning up the bathroom despite the younger woman simply standing there watching her helplessly.<p>

"Emily…?" Emily quickly turned toward JJ, hearing the blonde sound so weak and helpless.

"Hey, I'm here. It's ok. I'm going to clean up this mess and then we're going to go get you a bandage for your arm, alright?" She said gently before going back to cleaning.

"Why are you here?" It was clear that JJ couldn't for the life of her figure out what was going on.

"I'm checking up on you. I know you knew the victims and I just wanted to make sure you were ok.." She half lied as she continued to clean. Luckily the blood hadn't been on the dark carpet long enough to stain and Emily easily cleaned it up. "Where is the closest store to here JJ?"

"Um… Walmart is just a few minutes away… It's the only thing open this late." The blonde replied as she went to her go back to change into clean clothes. "I need to get a long sleeve shirt." She added softly, never once looking at Emily as she changed without even caring the other woman was in the room.

Emily on the other hand stood frozen as she watched the incredibly sexy woman in front of her change. _Snap out of it Prentiss, she doesn't need you acting like a horny teenager right now._ She said to herself. Her eyes scanned the blonde and she frowned when she noticed all the old scars on her friend's body. _Damn, this has been going on way longer than I realized. _"JJ… How long have you been um… you know… hurting yourself?" She asked, knowing she was prying but needing an answer.

"I haven't… It's not… I stopped for a long time… I mean when I was twelve I started, it was only a few months after I lost my sister but when I was seventeen I um… I attempted suicide and Lizzie called 911 I guess and got me to a hospital before I actually lost enough blood to die… I was in a mental institution for a year before I was finally allowed to come home. I haven't cut in almost thirteen years though..." JJ whispered before finally allowing herself to look at Emily. _She'll think I'm a freak. She'll hate me just like Lizzie did after she found out. I can't loose her. I can't. _"I've slipped up before… But not like to the point I need help. I mean it's never been really bad. Slipping up is common for addicts right? I mean I'm not addicted to hurting myself I just… Sometimes I can't handle everything going on." She desperately tried to explain.

"Hey, hey, it's ok." Emily said as she pulled a now dressed JJ into her arms. "It's going to be ok. Jayje… I need you to promise me something." She added as she rubbed the blonde's back.

"What? I'll do anything.. Please don't hate me Emily." She cried into her friend's shoulder, desperately clinging to the only stable thing in her life at the moment.

"I could never hate you JJ but I need you to promise me you'll stop… I need you to promise me you'll come to me next time you think you can't handle what ever is going on in your life."

JJ's eyes widened as she pulled away from Emily to look into her dark eyes. "Em… I don't know if I can… I don't think… I've never…" she didn't know how to respond. She'd never had anyone to go to when she needed support and she'd never had to promise she wouldn't hurt herself.

"I know that you can and I don't care what you've never had because you have it now. I'll be whatever you need me to be JJ." Emily promised as she pulled the younger woman into a tight embrace. "I promise Jayje, I'll be whatever you need."

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><p><strong>AN:** So I was going to split this into two chapters buuuut… I decided not to. Reviews are love.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own it. I know it's sad but it's the truth.

**A/N: **Um… So I thought I'd mention I have no beta, obviously, so like… that's why there are mistakes and stuff. This is all me. Also, updates won't always be as quick as they have been. I'm off of school right now but when I go back updates will slow down.

**A/N 2:** Again, I want to make it known this story may be triggering. I know while writing this there have been moments I actually had to close it down and step away because my own writing triggered emotions and so I wanted to warn you guys about it.

**A/N 3: **The first small part of this chapter is in _Emily's _point of view. I don't like to write in POV's much anymore but it was suggested and what the readers want, the readers get.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Could I really be anything and everything she needed me to be? I know I told her I could, but what if I couldn't? What if what she needs me to be is too much for even me? I know she needs a rock, she needs someone to be stable and help her and be her support system. What if she needs more than that though? I can't let her down, I love her to much. I'm standing here holding her in my arms and whispering in her ear that everything will be ok, but I don't even know for sure that it's the truth. It's what she needs to hear right now and I'll tell her anything to make her feel better. I can't stand seeing her like this; I don't think I ever have actually. She's always been strong and she's always been able to handle herself. Like myself, JJ keeps everyone out with a thick wall that might as well be the Great Wall of China with armed sentries posted every 20 feet. JJ has been a private person for as long as I've known her, she keeps her personal and professional lives separate and there is a lot no one knows about her. I for one would have never expected her to be a self-harmer. She's always been the rock of our family, she's been the glue that holds us all together, she keeps us strong. It has to weigh on her, I know it does, but I never would have thought she'd resort to self harm. I feel like I've failed her. I'm a God damned profiler and I can't notice that my best friend, the woman I'm in love with, is hurting herself. She hides it so well, I can't believe this has been going on since she was twelve. I can't believe none of us noticed. Hell, I didn't even realize she was a lesbian until Mrs. Foley mentioned it to me.

"Emily?" I hear her voice broken and drenched in pain and it causes me to pull away from her and look into her stunning, nearly dead, blue eyes. "You um… You spaced for a moment there.." She adds, breaking eye contact with me after only a second and looking away.

"I'm sorry Jayje. Why don't we head over to the store and get you a bandage for your wrist?" I suggest, still holding onto her.

"And a long sleeve shirt?" God, she's so adorable, even when she's upset. I can't stop the small smile that cracks onto my usually stoic face as I nod.

"Yeah, and a long sleeve shirt." I tell her, keeping my arm around her waist as I walk her down to one of the FBI SUVs. I'm glad she isn't pushing me away from her, it gives me a bit of hope. I never expected someone like JJ to resort to self harm, but it makes me glad to know she trusts me enough to tell me what's been going on with her. Part of me knows that even if I knew I wouldn't have been able to say anything to her. She'd have denied it and hated me for even suggesting that she'd hurt herself. I still should have picked up on the fact she's a lesbian, I mean how could I not? It explains why she had no interest in Will LaMontagne or Mick Rawson. I mean, I didn't have any interest in them either, but my sexuality isn't important right now. Unlike JJ, I'm older than the age that the unsub is killing, she however is right there in the age group. I can't let her get hurt, I've found myself being extra protective over her ever since she mentioned that a serial killer had rooted himself in her own home town, even before I knew he was targeting lesbians or that she was one.

I have to protect JJ, she needs me to protect her. I can't lose her to some psychopath who hates lesbians.

**No POV**

The two women reached the store quickly and Emily was happy to see that the place was nearly empty. As they entered the store, Emily's arm once again around JJ's waist, Emily looked around as if she was in uncharted territory. The woman's lost expression caused a small, nearly inaudible, chuckle to fall from JJ's mouth as she lead her toward the pharmacy to get bandages. "You're lucky I have the layout of this place memorized." The blonde said softly, though it fell on deaf ears as Emily continued to look around the store with a lost expression. "Growing up in a high society life warped your young mind Emily. Have you ever even been in a Wal-Mart? Here, this is the pharmacy, over there are the groceries, and yes, they actually sell clothing here. I know it's crazy for it all to be combined into one store but that's what you get when you grow up in a small town." She told the older woman with an amused tone of voice as she gathered the things they needed from the pharmaceutical section before leading Emily toward the clothing department. The blonde woman scanned the racks of clothing for a few moments before picking a long black and white striped blouse, in her size. "Do you have your wallet? Mine is in my hotel room…" she mumbled as she searched her pockets.

"Oh.. Uh yeah, right here." Emily replied as she pulled her own wallet from her back pocket. "And before you ask, no I don't mind paying. Do you have everything you need?" she asked gently as she led JJ toward the only open register. As JJ nodded her response, Emily smiled. "Ok, good. We can get back to the hotel and get you patched up before anyone else wakes up." Emily told her as she paid for the items that JJ was holding.

When JJ only nodded in response, Emily frowned. Just a moment ago the younger woman had been talking and had actually chuckled. She followed the blonde's line of sight to find what had caught her attention and her heart stopped. The same man they had seen at every house they'd gone to was standing across the store watching them. Emily quickly grabbed the bag from the cashier and shoved a fifty into her hand, despite the fact the total was only $32.50, and led JJ out to the SUV. As quickly as possible the two women were in the vehicle, doors locked, and Emily sped off. Once they were away from the store and Emily was sure they weren't being followed, she dialed Hotch's number.

"Hello?" She heard grumbled into the phone, signaling that she'd woken Hotch up by calling him.

"Hotch listen, I know I just woke you up but me and JJ were at Wal-Mart and we saw the man that Mrs. Foley had told us about, the one that had been at all of the victim's houses. He was watching us Hotch, like literally watching us. I drove past the hotel, I don't want him to know we're staying there so I need you and the team to meet us at the police station ok?" She rambled quickly to the half asleep and slightly disoriented man.

"Uh… Yeah alright we'll be there. Let me just wake everyone up." He mumbled before hanging up the phone.

Emily reached the police station in record time, but JJ was too lost in her own world to even realize the car had stopped. "Jayje? Hey JJ?" she said softly, taking hold of the younger woman's hand and squeezing it gently. JJ looked at her blankly for a minute before she finally realized what was going on. The two women got out of the SUV and quickly sought refuge in the police station. As they entered the conference room they had set up in earlier that day they both almost sighed in relief when they realized, for the first time, the room didn't have windows to the outside. It meant that even if the man had followed them the only way he'd be able to watch them would be to physically enter the building. Emily was relieved to see the men weren't there yet and after shutting the blinds of the windows that looked out to the bullpen and shutting the door she set about bandaging JJ's arm. Once that was done JJ changed her shirt so the guys wouldn't ask about the bandage when they got there. She felt bad about hiding something so big from them, but she didn't feel comfortable letting them know her biggest secret.

Twenty minutes later Hotch, Rossi, Morgan, and Reid finally arrived. "We would have been here sooner if Rossi and Morgan hadn't argued over shotgun like two five year olds." Hotch said with a glare at the two men who looked away. Emily and JJ both broke into small smiles as they looked from Hotch to the guilty men. In all honesty the two of them acting like that after just being woken up was no surprise to anyone, aside from Hotch maybe. "Alright, lets get down to business. When did you two notice that he was there watching you?" Hotch asked as they all took seats at the table.

"I um… I noticed when we were checking out.. He was just standing across the store watching us." JJ muttered, fidgeting with the sleeves of the new shirt.

"I don't know how he knew we'd be there, I swear we weren't being followed." Emily said as she paced the room. She hadn't taken a seat like everyone else, she was too anxious for that.

"It doesn't make sense that you two would be targets. While, yes, JJ is in the age range it seems so far that he's targeting only lesbians, unless we've got that part of the victimology wrong." Hotch said as he scanned the board of the victim's information.

"Uh… Hotch? It would actually make perfect sense for him to target me." JJ told him, her eyes never once lifting from her lap.

"Oh… Well then we'll just have to keep you safe now, won't we?" Hotch replied, appearing to not even be phased by the discovery of new information about the team's media liaison.

Every head snapped toward the door when it opened and one of the police officers walked in. "Agents we found another body." The officer said, putting the picture of the body up on the board. All eyes snapped to JJ when they heard the very audible gasp that came from her. Moving toward the board JJ shook her head and murmured "no, no, no" repeatedly.

"Jayje, what is it?" Emily asked gently, moving beside the woman and placing a hand gently on the small of her back.

"That's Carlie… But Carlie's not a lesbian… She's married, she has kids… I swear she's the furthest thing from lesbian there is." She replied, shaking her head. The blonde woman pulled a picture from the board, her eyes scanning it as if she'd just had an epiphany. "This is… It says "This one's for you Jennifer." It's um… Carlie made up this language for us when we were kids so we could write letters and talk without anyone knowing what we were talking about. See, here carved into her side." She mumbled as she handed the picture to Hotch.

"JJ, he's targeting you. I knew you should have stayed back in DC." He said, anger present on his features at the idea of a serial killer targeting one of his team member.

"So he could keep killing Hotch? He… He knew that Lizzie's death would bring me here, now he's just playing with my mind." She was pissed. Screw being scared, this bastard was harming her friends, her family, she couldn't let this go on. "If he wants me then he can have me." She added before storming out of the room. One thing the team had learned the hard way, never piss off Jennifer Jareau.

Emily looked at the team before quickly following JJ. "Jayje don't be irrational. I understand you're upset but you can't just…"

"I can't just what Emily?" JJ interrupted, pushing Emily away from her when she tried to make physical contact. "When did you become the person who tells me what I can and can't do, huh? I'm not going to sit by and watch him destroy everything and everyone I love!" Where did Emily get off thinking she had any control over the blonde? What because she helped her with her arm? She didn't ask for Emily's help and she sure as hell didn't want it right now. "I didn't ask you to play idiot-in-tin-foil Emily. I don't need your help and I don't need you acting like you can control me!" She growled, yes actually growled. Emily had no right to think she could tell JJ what she could and couldn't do.

"JJ… That's not what I meant." The brunette muttered in response. "I just don't want to see you hurt… I can't see you hurt… I just want to protect you." She added softly, her dark eyes making contact with JJ's usually bright blue ones.

"Oh come off it Emily. I don't need a knight in shining armor and even if I did I wouldn't want it to be you!" She hadn't really meant it, but she was to pissed to care about how the brunette agent would feel. She stormed away after that, away from the precinct, away from Emily, away from everyone. She knew the town well enough to navigate her way from the police department to her old church. It was a straight walk that she knew took only eight minutes as long as she stayed on Orchard Street and didn't take the main road. It was dark though and there was only one street lamp the whole way there. That's probably why she didn't see the dark van that was sitting on the street waiting for her. That's also probably why she didn't notice the man stalking toward her until his arm was around her waist and a cloth with Chloroform on it was put over her mouth.

The last thing she saw before the world went dark was Emily just passing under the street light as she ran toward her, gun in hand.

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><p><strong>AN:** So my dearies, I will leave you with that. Yes, yes, more drama. I love a good suspense story ya' know.

Hey, did you catch the House reference in the story? If you did GO You! If not, you should look for it. I'll give cookies and pink milk to everyone who finds it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Same as always my lovelies. As much as I wish I owned it, I do not.

**A/N: **So I was a little disappointed no one picked up on or mentioned that they noticed the piece of a House quote last chapter but that's ok. Since I love you all I'll give you cookies and pink milk anyway.

**A/N 2:** I'm sorry this update took so long. I've been really stressed lately and on Saturday I took a waaay too long walk with my "twin" sister and twin nieces and now every muscle in my body hurts. I really suck at writing team scenes so this chapter took a while.

**A/N 3: **So I totally found something out today. The names Giles and Foley were both used in episodes of CM that I have NEVER seen before. Go figure, right?

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Emily's dark eyes tried desperately to adjust to the dark once the lights of the van were no longer blinding her eyes. "JJ!" She screamed desperately, even though the van was long gone now. She turned back to the precinct and ran as fast as her feet could carry her. _How could I let them get her? I knew she was a target, I should have never let her out of my sight. Damnit it! _Busting through the door of the police department, Emily knew every head was turned toward her. "Hotch!" She yelled breathlessly, interrupting the conversation that her boss was having with the police chief. "Hotch she's gone! She got pissed at me and walked off. I tried to follow her but it was dark and I didn't notice the van waiting for her. The unsub grabbed her and I think he has a partner 'cause when he pulled her in the back of the van the other drove off." Stopping for only a moment to catch her breathe, Emily continued; "I tried shooting the tires but they drove off to fast, by the time my eyes adjusted from the lights that practically blinded me they were too far gone. Oh God Hotch… They're going to kill her." She rambled on, her own realization causing her to fall to her knees in tears. Morgan was at her side in an instant, pulling her to her feet.

"No one is going to kill JJ, we will find her. Until then, JJ is a fighter, she'll make it." He told her as she cried against his chest. Emily was never one to let her emotions get the best of her but the thought of loosing her best friend and the woman she was in love with was enough to cause her to break down in tears. _Stop crying damnit! JJ needs you to be strong right now. Stop acting like a baby. _Emily chastised herself as she slowly gathered herself back up and stopped crying.

"Does she have her cell phone on her Em? I can trace it if she does." Garcia spoke up from the laptop, her hands on the keys of her computer back at Quantico, ready to start a trace if Emily told her that JJ had her cell phone on her.

"No, Garcia. Damnit! She left it in her hotel room along with her wallet." Before she knew what was happening her fist made contact with the wall and she let out a scream. "God damnit!"

"Emily, you need to calm down. We're all upset that JJ is gone but _punching _the _wall _won't help you, considering the wall did nothing wrong." Hotch stated, the heat of Emily's glare as she turned to him not affecting him at all.

"Hotch. I'm not in the mood for smart ass comments. The unsub_s_ have JJ. JJ of all fucking people. We have to find her." Emily snapped at him. Later, when all was said and done and JJ was safe, she would regret snapping at her boss. Right now though she could care less if he was the Queen of Fucking England.

"Emily, snapping at Hotch won't help much either." Rossi's voice snapped her back into reality and she sighed.

"I know I'm just frustrated. _I _was supposed to be watching her. _I'm _the one who couldn't keep her safe. I _failed _her." Emily stated with a sigh.

"Hey now Princess, any one of us could have been the one that let her get out from under our noses. It wasn't your fault the unsubs used a town you don't know against you. We're gonna find JJ and she's going to be fine." Morgan told her, his hand resting on her shoulder in a comforting manner.

"Seriously Gumdrop, no one could have predicted that the bastards would have done that. It's not fair that you had to basically look over your shoulder every five seconds." Garcia reassured her.

"Hamburg in itself is 1.2 square miles so really the unsubs wouldn't have taken her far. They have kept this entire thing local, they must be somewhere local. In all actuality it is very possible they have her somewhere close to the dumping site." Reid spoke up.

"There is a self storage center that's located on Gingerbread Castle Road, not too far from the actual Gingerbread Castle. The largest storage spaces at 5,000 square feet." One of the officers listening in told them.

"There is a very large possibility that JJ is being held in one of those spaces, and I will find out just which one she's in." Garcia promised as she started searching records.

"The storage spaces are owned by the city, we can go busting in doors if need be." The officer replied.

"Reid you stay here and update us if Garcia finds anything. Rossi, Morgan, Prentiss you're with me and the police officers." Hotch ordered as he headed out of the small building.

It didn't take long for the team and the police officers to reach the self storage building. As soon as a plan was made they went in guns drawn. It took the eight different teams only an hour and a half total to go through the entire building and discover that JJ was not there. Not only was she not there, the time they had to find her was running out. According to Mrs. Foley, Elizabeth had been gone only fifteen hours before she was found dead in the Gingerbread Castle. Three other mothers said the same thing. Going on that time line, they now only had thirteen and a half hours to find JJ alive. As the teams regrouped and headed back toward the precinct, the hopes of finding the missing FBI agent were low. It was far too rare to find a kidnapping victim before they were killed. Going on the fact that the unsubs kept their victims only fifteen hours, JJ's torture had most likely already begun. The blonde media liaison was strong, everyone knew that, but the chances of her surviving what the unsubs were going to dish out were slim to none.

Walking into the conference room, the team's spirits were low. "Garcia, baby girl, please tell us you got something." Morgan nearly begged the tech analyst.

"Oh my fine furry friends, I wish I could." She said somberly as she continued her search.

"We need to focus on _who _the unsubs are. If we can figure that out maybe we can find them." Hotch said as he dropped into one of the seats in the room. "We know there is no match on the face that everyone has seen, which means he's either not from around here or he's gotten a facial reconstruction done."

"Ya' mean like plastic surgery? You think our killer had _plastic surgery_? What kind of man has plastic surgery?" One of the officers asked.

"From 2009 to 2010 there has been a significant increase of men having plastic surgery and considering the unsub knows the town too well to be someone who isn't from around here. It's very possible that he may have faked his death and gotten a facial reconstruction done." Reid stated.

"We said there are two unsubs, it's possible that the original unsub brought in someone he knows from another city or state even so people wouldn't know who the killer was. It is very likely though that the original unsub may have faked his death, especially if he was a suspect." Emily told the police chief, who seemed deep in thought.

"Mort Giles. He because a suspect late June of last year and mid July he passed away in his sleep. He could be your man." Rodney Johnson, the police chief, stated.

"Well if he is, he wouldn't have brought the victims back to his home, that's too risky in a town like this. Did he own a cabin maybe in the woods or something like that?" Hotch asked as Garcia began a search on the man in question.

"The only cabin 'round here is the old abandoned one in the woods back behind Governor Haines Street, after the train tracks." Police Chief Johnson responded. "But it ain't owned by anyone, and it's a tiny thing, I doubt anyone is stayin' in there."

"Chief Johnson, through the woods from Governor Haines you can get the Gingerbread Castle…" one of the other officers spoke up.

Emily and Hotch exchanged quick glances before turning back to the local cops. "It's very possible that he's built an underground area that he is keeping these women. We need to get to that cabin." Hotch stated, already grabbing his Kevlar vest. Everyone's head was in the same place as they suited up to go bust down the door of the cabin. Find JJ, get the unsub, and get out. Preferably before any real harm came to the missing FBI agent. The police officers were all obviously pissed off by the fact they'd never thought to check the cabin, but the thing was so damn tiny and no one ever expected some elaborate dungeon to be built underneath it. Climbing into the FBI issue SUV, Emily had only one thing on her mind. Get JJ and kill the son of a bitch who had taken her. No one, not even Morgan or Hotch in all their glory would be able to stop her from ripping the douche bags head off. He thought he could get away with hurting JJ, but he was sadly mistaken. No way in hell was she going to let that happen. If she had any say in it that bastard would die today. For his sake, he better hope he hadn't done any harm to JJ. Permanent or not.

Emily wasn't quite sure when the SUV's pulled to a stop at the end of Governor Haines street but when she noticed Morgan jumping out of the SUV she quickly followed suit. "Prentiss, Reid, and Morgan check inside, Rossi, Johnson and I will check for a door out here." Hotch ordered as the two teams of three split up. A quick nod was exchanged between Morgan, Reid, and Emily before Morgan's foot and the weak wooden door collided. The three entered the room, guns up. Emily heard one of the two men with her yell clear, but she wasn't concerned by that considering the cabin was one room and a bathroom and she could clearly see that it was empty. As the three set about checking the floor for a door, Rossi, Johnson, and Hotch were around the building doing the same.

"Guys! I found something!" Emily's voice echoed out of the room and out to the other officers outside. With Morgan's help she pulled up a set of floor boards that were covering a "trap" door. Without a second thought she ripped the door open and proceeded down the latter. "It's clear but there's another door!" She called out as Morgan and Reid both followed her down. The muffled sound of a scream that sounded way too much like JJ's set the three into action and they busted through the door, growing more frustrated when they only found another door. _Damnit! We'll find you JJ I swear we will! Hang on JJ, just hang on. _Emily thought as they busted down another door.

"How many fucking doors are there gonna be?" Morgan growled. He was pissed enough as it was that the bastard had taken JJ, who was like a little sister to him, but to have the nerve to put so many God damned doors between them was just another brick on the pile of reasons he wanted to shoot this guy. Two more doors down and they finally heard JJ's scream as though it was right next to them. "Guns up guys, they are through this last door." Morgan stated before kicking the final door that kept them from JJ down. "FBI! Drop your weapon and step away from JJ!" Morgan ordered.

Emily's eyes widened when she saw the condition her best friend was in. "Oh God…" She whispered, her eyes trained on the bloody mess that was Jennifer Jareau. Glancing back at the unsub, who definitely was _not _Mort Giles, she noticed him going for a gun attached to his left him. Without a second thought two shots fired from her gun and the man fell to a heap beside JJ. Another scream from the blonde pierced Emily's ears and she darted over to where her best friend was trained to the wall. "JJ we're here. It's going to be ok, I promise." She said softly as she grabbed the keys from a hook on the wall and unchained JJ from the wall. "Morgan we need medics and we need them now!" She called out as JJ fell to a heap against her and a sob shook her entire body.

It was at that moment that Emily realized she wasn't sure of her own words. It was all too possible that JJ wouldn't be ok.

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><p><strong>AN: **Well my lovelies, there you are. I know it's short but I suck at writing these types of scenes and such… Next chapter will be JJ locked up with the douche bag that kidnapped her. You guys wanna know who the unsubs are right? I'll tell you one thing, it's the people you last expect.


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